Germany Detains 'Double Agent' for Spying on Spy Investigation

[newthinking]

Published on Friday, July 4, 2014 by Common Dreams
[font size="3"]Germany Detains 'Double Agent' for Spying on Spy Investigation:[/font]
Reports German intelligence officer reportedly confessed to reporting back to US government about inquiry into NSA surveillance of German targets
- Jon Queally, staff writer


A member of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency has been detained for possibly spying for the US. The 31-year-old is suspected of giving a US spy agency information about a parliamentary inquiry of NSA activities. (Image: PictureAlliance/DPA))

German news outlets on Friday are reporting that a so-called "double agent" has been detained after confessing to investigators that he was paid by U.S. agents to spy on the German parliamentary panel now investigating the extent of U.S. National Security Agency's surveillance inside the country.

According to Deutsche Welle:

During questioning, the suspect reportedly told investigators that he had gathered information on an investigative committee from Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. The panel is conducting an inquiry into NSA surveillance on German officials and citizens.

A spokesperson for the Federal Prosecutor's office declined to provide further details about the case, according to news agency AFP.

German-US relations have been on the rocks since revelations of mass surveillance not only on German citizens, but also on Chancellor Angela Merkel and other politicians made headlines last year.

More at commondreams.org: https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/07/04

[hlthe2b]

1. Incredible--after being caught surveilling Merkel directly, this.

Of course we indiscriminately spy on our own people, so why should anyone think our allies would be treated with more respect....

[BillZBubb]

2. The NSA is out of control. It should be shut down.

Everyone in the management of NSA, the congressional "oversight" and FISA "court" is tainted.

[marmar]

3. K/R